If you made payments on your student loans during the covid payment pause, you can request a refund of those payments. ONLY DO THIS IF IT IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO YOU.
For example, if you're eligible for $10,000 of forgiveness of your loan, but your balance is $12,000, it's not advantageous for you, because that refund will be added back to the balance of your loan.
Now look at my example. Wife took out a loan for daughter. Eligible for $10,000 forgiveness. Current balance is $2800. Made $6500 in payments during the pause. She requested a refund today. The $6500 will be added to the $2800 balance for a total of $9300. Entire balance will be forgiven, $6500 back into my pocket.
NELNET said it will take 4-8 weeks to process the refund. Make sure you ask for a refund of any loans that were paid off during to pause (we had 2). Open loans may be automatic, but closed loans may not. Either way, call your servicer and request a refund if it makes sense for you.
https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation
For example, if you're eligible for $10,000 of forgiveness of your loan, but your balance is $12,000, it's not advantageous for you, because that refund will be added back to the balance of your loan.
Now look at my example. Wife took out a loan for daughter. Eligible for $10,000 forgiveness. Current balance is $2800. Made $6500 in payments during the pause. She requested a refund today. The $6500 will be added to the $2800 balance for a total of $9300. Entire balance will be forgiven, $6500 back into my pocket.
NELNET said it will take 4-8 weeks to process the refund. Make sure you ask for a refund of any loans that were paid off during to pause (we had 2). Open loans may be automatic, but closed loans may not. Either way, call your servicer and request a refund if it makes sense for you.
https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation
Am I eligible for a refund if I made voluntary payments during the pandemic?
Yes. You will automatically receive a refund of your payments during the payment pause if:
you successfully apply for and receive debt relief under the Administration's debt relief plan, AND
your voluntary payments during the payment pause brought your balance below the maximum debt relief amount you're eligible to receive but did not pay off your loan in full.
For example, if you're a borrower eligible for $10,000 in relief; had a balance of $10,500 prior to March 13, 2020; and made $1,000 in payments since then—bringing your balance to $9,500 at the time of discharge—we'll discharge your $9,500 balance, and you'll receive a $500 refund.
Other borrowers can still receive refunds on voluntary payments made after March 13, 2020 by contacting their servicer. It's important to note that these refunded payments will increase your loan balance and your monthly payments. If you expect to have a balance after discharge is applied and wish to request a refund, you can do so by contacting your servicer until Dec. 31, 2023.
If you consolidated your loan after March 13, 2020, refunds aren't available for any voluntary payments made prior to the consolidation.
Refund requests can only be made by you and refunded to you, even if someone else made a payment on your loan.